Onarga Township High School - Onarquois Yearbook (Onarga, IL)

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Seniors Peters WARREN MORGAN EUGENE PETERS Football 1. 2, 3, 4. Capt. 4: Track 1, 2, 3. 4: Thespian 4; Junior and Senior plays: Chorus 1. 2. 3. Price BETTY UOU PRICE Class Sec. 1. 3: Junior and Senior plavs; F.H.A. 1. 2, 3, 4: G.A.A. 1, 2, 3, 4; Chorus 1, 2, 3. 4; Library Club 4: Thespian 4. Risley FRED CHARLES RISLEY Transfer 4: Senior class play. Senior Class Prophecy As the train sped along toward the East coast, I noticed a paper lying in an empty seat across the aisle. As I was growing tired from my long journey, I picked it up and began to read to break the monotony. Much to my surprise I discovered it was a paper from my home-town, “The Onarga Leader ar.d Review”. At my first glance I noticed the headlines, “Fryer’s Follies Opening Tonight”. Directly below it read, “Starring Lois Schall at the Piper City Vaudeville Playhouse”. I always thought Paul would reach great fame but I hadn’t realized this. Next I noticed that our former classmate, Betty Henry, is now returning from her week-end visit in Onarga, to her southern mansion with her husband and eight children. Her husband is a professor of law at Duke University. In the column at the left, I read that agriculturist Eddie Forrest, and his assistant Warren Peters, were making a tour. They were giving lectures (that they learned how to give so well in their former American History Class) to the 4-H Clubs of Iroquois County. These two men are also the founders of the International Bachelor’s Union. Next I turned to the sports section. The athletic-advisor at the new Leonard Tech for girls, Dean Betty Lou Price, had taken her girls to the State Basketball Contest at Springfield and won the championship. Betty got her expert experience from her participation in sports during her days at O. T. H. S. This reminded me of another school-mate, Ronnie Decker. As I looked hurriedly over the page I noticed, “EXTRA! EXTRA! Maestro Ronald Decker, famously known for his musical mouth organ, now appearing at the Metropolitan Opera House on Maxwell Street in Onarga.” Little did we realize Ronald’s hidden talen in our high school days. My eyes were growing tired and as I folded the paper I saw a large specimen ballot covering the entire back page. On it was a picture of our former classmate, Congress-woman Fern Alvey. I certainly hoped Fern would be successful and reach her goal. 14

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Seniors Fryer PAUL ROACH FRYER Class Pres. 3. 4: Vice Pres. 1: Basketball 1. 2. 3. 4. Capt. 4: Football 2. 3. 4. Manager 1; Track 3, 4: Newspaper 1, 2, 3: Thespian 3, 4: Junior and Senior plays: Chorus 1. 3. 4: Annual 2. 3. Henry BETTY JOAN HENRY F.H.A. 1. 2. 3. 4: G.A.A. 1. 2. 3. 4: Library Club 2. 3. Homer MARGUERITE BENNETT HOMER Class Pres. 3; Vice Pres. 4: Newspaper 1. 2. 3; Thespian 1. 2. 3. 4: Sec. 1, 2. Vice Pres. 3. Sec. 4: Thespian. Junion, Senior, contest. and one act plays: F.H.A. Sec. 1, 2. Vice Pres. 3, Pres. 4: G.A.A. 1, 2. 3, 4; Band 1. 2. 3, 4: Chorus 1. 2, 3, 4; Sextette 2. 3. 4: Octette 3. 4; Library 2. 3. 4. Point Sec. 4: Annual 1. 2. 4. Senior Class History others joined us. From the country schools came Charleen Stephens, Neil Talbert, Edward Forrest and Warren Peters. Fern Alvey also started our High School years with us but dropped out at the end of the first year to rejoin us in our last. The horror of every Freshman’s life, during his first few months, is initiation day. For us, this came late in October and to save embarrassment we will not probe into the details of that day. Let us say it was--unique! Our Sophomore year did not add any to the “population” of the class but we were beginning to take our place in the activities and sports. Our Junior year increased our number with the addition of Norma Short from Che-banse and Frances Zeedyk from Thawville. Our class, like all other Junior classes, worked like dogs to make money for the Annual and the Junior - Senior banquet and prom, which was held in the spring. The “industrious dozen” we were known as in those days! And might I say, we did very well. Our Junior Play, entitled “All American Family,” was a great success. Many of our group appeared in other plays such as the one-act contest play and the Thespian production. Our Senior year started out with a bang, for during the first two weeks we ordered our rings and graduation announcements (sure of ourselves weren’t we). We took pity on those poor “greenies” and got Freshman initiation over early, for we know what suspense it was. Our class play this year had the very fitting title of “Out of This World,” with one of the main characters being Fred Risley. Fred is a new comer this year, who had returned from the Navy. At the semester, William Utters joined us, he also is a returned vet. Graduation is coming into sight and the years and months dwindle into weeks and days. Theres’ not one of us who is leaving, who does not have a lump in our throat as we say to our remaining school friends. “Gaod Luck and Good-bye.” 13

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Seniors NORMA LEE SHORT Transfer 3: Newspaper 3, 4: Thespian 4: Junior. Senior. Christmas, and contest plays: F.H.A. 3, 4; G.A.A. 3. 4. See. 3. Treas. 4; Band 3. 4; Chorus 3, 4: Sextette 3. 4: Octette 3. 4: Solo Contest 3. 4. FI ORA CHARLEEN STEPHENS Newspaper 2. 3: Thespian 4: Senior play; F.H.A. 1. 2. 3. 4; Band 4; Chorus 1. 2. 3. 4; Sextette 3: Annual 2. 4: G.A.A. 1. 2. 3. 4. NEIL OSGOOI) TALBERT Class Pres. 1. Vice Pres. 3. Treas. 4: Football 1. 2, 3: Basketball 3. Manager 1; Baseball 1: Newspaper 2. 3: Thespian 1, 2. 3. 4: Thespian. Junior, Senior, one act. and contest plays: Chorus 1. 2. 3. 4; Octette 3. 4: Quartette 2. 3. 4: Annual 3. Senior Class Prophecy Next I saw that Peggy Tilstra was making a tour of the Western states. She was to spend a few weeks with her brother in California and also with Mr. and Mrs. Pete Schnurr. Yes, Paul and Norma were married and were now running a Chinese laundry. The'r five red haired youngsters are the cutest little Chinese workers you’ve ever seen. A little below and two columns over, I noticed that Mr. Neil Osgood Talbert was vacationing from his daily work as cartoonist for the “Delrey Daily Bugle”. Neil was relaxing at the place where so many of the aristocrats from Onarga go — “Little Niagra”. This resort is located at the Gilman Water tower, where instructor Shirley Link guarantees to teach Neil to swim like a rock in six easy lessons. Wilma Wulff is now chief owner and operator of “Welcome Inn”, formerly known as “Fairview”. Then as I ran across his name, I remembered that young whipper-snapper Fred “Shoot-me” Risley. He is now snapping shots for the Bathing Beauty Contest to be held in the back room of the “Stephens Straight Curl Beauty Salon”. The Hollywood actress, Margie “Grable” Homer was modeling the new synthetic elastic bathing suit. The train whistle has just blown and this means my journey is coming to an end. I have enjoyed my trip, although it was long and tiring, because it has brought back memories of my class, the class of ’47 at Onarga Township High School. As we are now drawing into the station, I know that each and every one of my former classmates has achieved great success. As the porter carried my bags down the platform, there was a new and greater hope for my own future. Slowly I walked down the street, when a sudden gush of wind snatched my paper and with it vanished my many memories of the past. As I now approached a very large building my mind was blank except for my own work in the musical field. So far. the closest that I , Frances “The Voice” Zeedyk, had ever come to success was — as a scrub-woman at the Stork Club. 15